The Portland daily press., 1887-01-28
IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC.
a Leaf from a MIdshIpman's Log.
U. S. S. JUNIATA, Nov. 10, 1886.
Lat 800, 80 South,
Iouo 400 49, lVaef

Lat. 800. 80 South,
Long, 43o, 38 West.
We are at this moment drifting around the
South Atlantic (or Ethiopic) ocean in light
breeze and slow ship, and are close hauled
on the port tack and running more toward
Rio Janeiro, whence we came, than toward
Montevideo, whittier we are bound. But
we will probably get close enough in to the
coast in few. days to run down to "the
Mount under steam. On the Enterprise
Bank we got souncings in 800 fathoms of
water, while at distance of 100 miles or SO
from the centre of the Bank we got 100 and
$500 fathoms Also close to the centre there is
a big holeor deepvalley where there are /, lis
fathoms. This bank is 1000 miles from land,
the water is uniformly deep all around and
the mountains down there rise to height of
ten thousand feet above the level of the
oceans bottom. So, you see, those noun
tains are higher than Mount Washington,
half as high again, and the rise is much more
abrupt. 1t might be vast volcano and the
deep hole be crater. but the sounding rod
brought up sand and shells from crater and
all.
Rio de Janeiro is a city situated at the
foot of very high and steep mountains,
whose slopes are the only refuge from yellow
fever, and are therefore occupied by summer
residences of the upper classes, and hotels
where the wealthy can escape the most
deadly ravages of the disease. OF late years
an attempt has been made by an American
company to keep the place clean, but there
is still room for improvement for the bust
ness part of the town is on the whole posi-
lively filthy. The Rua di 0uvidor, on which
are the best stores, is not as wide as Custom
House wharf, and passengers walk in the
street more than on the sidewalks. During
my stay in Rio did not see horse or yehi-
Gle of any kind in that street. The city is
well supplied with horsecars of American
manufacture, and every convenience that
the place has is American. One of the curl
osities is an American bartender, who mixes
American drinks in the Cafe di Globo, oppo-
site the Correieio, or postoffice. One feature
that seems strange to law abiding Ameri-
can Is the lottery boxes scattered around
everywhere. In some parts of the city these
little sentry boxes, for they are no larger, oc-
cupy every corner and make very pretty
picture with their flags of all nations waving
grandest in the world, but there was set of
such filthy looking beggars sitting in the en-
trance that preferred for my part, to forego
the sight of the grandeur, SO wandered off
and got lost in some of the by streets. Stroll
ing into cafe, for they sell coffee here where
they would sell beer in New York, took
cup Of coffee and nonchalantly asked, "Ou
est la ririereP The proprietor stared at me
so hard that l asked him if he understood
French. He replied, "Oii Monsieur" and /
again asked him where the river was to be
found. He again looked as if he had doubts
of my sanity, and the situation was rapidly
assuming that of the gridiron story reversed
when happened to recolect that there is
no river at all, only big bay, and the name
of the city had misled me. So asked for
the caissedur, and he pointed down the
street in the direction Of the anchorage of
the war vessels.
One particularly striking feature Of the
place is the absence of pretty faces; none of
the lower class Of women are pretty, and the
majority of them are positively ugly; the
prevailing style is the massive build. The
ladies of the upper classes are rather fine
looking, but have to wear great quantities of
| jewelry to set off their faces. did not see
Brazilian girl who was even pretty, and be-
ieve beautiful one, if there is such one
in the empire, must be kept ON exhibition
under glass case. saw only one beau
tiful woman in the town, and she found out
was the daughter of an American school
ma'am. A went up to the school Ia private
school for girls with letter of in PRODUCTION
and instruction to bring party ON board
ship; but they were not at home, so / did
not meet the only pretty girl in Rio
The Emperor has palace, small square
marble building close to the naval landing,
and the window Of the room that he occupies
has flag staff of white, with winding strip
of green like a BARRIERS pole. We amused
ourselves by making remarks on the trade
of the old gentleman. We kept that up I'M
til we came opposite the office of the Ameri-
can consul, when, horrible dictal his Office
was decorated with red and white striped
BARRIERS pole, and that was worse still.
The bay of Rio de Janeiro is without doubt
beautiful and grand sight, since there is no
low land between the water and the noun
tains, and 1t is very ccmmodious with the
advantage of deep water. so that all of the
bay is available for anchorage. There are
any amount of Brazilian men-of-war in the
harbor, not to protect the city, but to prevent
their ignorance and timidity from sinking
them at sea. They have two very fine mod
ern ironclads. but they do not know anything
about the working of the modern great guns,
and they have totally disabled all their ma
chinery, so that going to sea is out of the
question now, until they can get American
or English talent to repair their damages.
This ship was last year as idle in port as any
of them, but she has redeemed herself by
making an almost uninterrupted cruise
across two oceans, so we can blame the land
birds who man these Brazilian craft and
vet we will not feel conscious of the same
propensities ourselves,
One evening after visiting the botanical
gardens, went up to the Hill of Sta Thereze
to stay over night. Strict orders were given
that no one was to sleep at the foot of the
hills, because there is the nursery of the yell
low fever, which cannot rise to the more ele-
waited country. There / found a Brazilian
who spoke English remarkably well. and in
the course of conversation he gave me to I'M
derstand that the Americans have too exalt-
ed an opinion of Dom Pedro, and that in his
own country he is tolerated only because he is
aweak, good natured man and really means
well. But the country is drifting towards
republicanism, and will, soon get there if the
Republican party, which few years ago had
almost no followers, continues to increase at
the rate it has done lately. Yet he worships
America, and his worship helps to civilize
his own country to a remarkable degree.
We left Rio de Janero on the third of Oc-
tober. and as soon as we got outside the bay
a very heavy ground swell met us and the
"Rolling Juniata" distinguished herself. l
never saw such rolling. With no sea on
whatever, she rolled her guns under and kept